Bunshin Tattoo Museum

Bunshin Tattoo Museum is a small, personal collection in Yokohama devoted to tattoo art and culture. Across two floors, you’ll find Japanese-style artwork alongside pieces from other countries, plus tattoo equipment, books, photographs and awards. The collection was curated by Horiyoshi III, a master of traditional Japanese tattooing, and Horiyoshi IV’s studio is on the premises. Call ahead to arrange entry, as the owner may be tattooing when you arrive. The entrance is a narrow door near the front.

A personal collection of tattoo culture

Bunshin Tattoo Museum is a private collection in Yokohama, curated by Horiyoshi III, a master of traditional Japanese tattooing. Its focus is tattoo art and the culture, customs and history connected with it. The word “bunshin” is an ancient term for tattoos that appears in some of Japan’s earliest official records.

The collection brings together artwork, tattoo equipment, awards, books and photographs. Much of the artwork follows Japanese styles, with pieces from other countries also on display. Prehistoric clay figurines found in Japan provide evidence of patterned tattoos dating to before the Common Era.

Finding your way in

The museum occupies two floors and has an intimate, gallery-like feel. Horiyoshi IV’s studio is also on the premises. The first floor has a low ceiling, and the entrance is a small door near the front that can be easy to overlook.

Call before setting out to check that you can get in. The owner may be busy tattooing, and visitors have sometimes had difficulty reaching someone at the door. Admission is listed as ¥1,000 in one visitor account. A short visit is enough to see the compact collection, though you can take longer to look through the books, photographs and artwork.